Second Chances
by Sciencegal
Summary: Leonardo and his brothers are once again in the battle of their life, but this time something goes drastically wrong. Nobody is invincible and the four of them find this out the hard way. Is this the end of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Read to see!
1. Prolouge part 1

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**Author's note:** This is a new fic I'm writing. I know I haven't updated the others yet. Just be patient 'cuz I'm working on them. I wrote this when I was having a VERY bad day yesterday so be forewarned (according to my parents, I had a pyscological breakdown. I'm better now, but it's only because I wrote this!). The idea is old though so it shouldn't be too bad. Alright, maybe it is... This is the first part of the prolouge...meaning the prolouge has TWO parts. I separated them to create more suspense. That's what this fic's all about! Suspense, suspense, suspence! I don't know yet if the whole fic will be in past tense/third person or not. Both parts of the prolouge WILL be. Tell me your thoughts on this, alright? This is me in my darkest! Mwahahaha!

**Disclaimer:** The turtles & company do not belong to me but the plot is mine! Grrr!

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If one person bothered to look up at the dark towering building known to enemies as Foot Headquarters, none of them showed any sign that they knew what was going on. To them, it seemed nothing was out of the ordinary. It was just another busy night in New York City. They would be right, but not in the way they see it. To four brothers, 'normal' meant fighting battle after battle against any enemy threatening the peace of their city.

Tonight was just the same. High above the city on the roof of Saki's skyscraper, a battle raged. To any outsider it would look like ciaos, four mutant turtles and a swarm of black-clad ninjas fighting almost senselessly. The odds seemed to be I the more numerous black-clad ninjas if this outsider knew nothing about the turtles surprising skill. Still, the observer might be correct in this assumption.

The four ninja brothers felt like they had been fighting all night. Only one was openly showing his exhaustion. The orange-banded turtle took out three surrounding ninjas in one strike before yawning hugely. The adrenaline from the fight was beginning to wear down and his movements had slowed. This seemed to be close to the limit to his boundless energy.

Donatello may have been as exhausted as Michelangelo, but he tried desperately not to show it. To an outsider, he might even look perfectly coordinated, but to his brothers, the slight decrease in the velocity of his bo staff was a sure sign of the purple-banded turtle's slowing reflexes. As if to prove this fact, an enemy's bo staff got passed his defenses and slammed into the side of his head. He landed hard on his knee a little winded, but otherwise fine. He retaliated quickly before standing again.

If Raphael knew of his brother's weakening, he did not show it. He had long gotten separated from his brothers and was busy with his own share of enemy ninjas. None of them stayed down long enough and if he took one out, another was sure to take its place. It was starting to grate on the red-banded turtle's nerves. In his fast-growing agitation, Raphael ducked, allowing a few attacks to pass harmlessly over his head to take out some of their own before performing a round-house kick. With a satisfied grin at his handiwork, he continued the fight.

Leonardo knew none of them would last much longer. At a gap in the fighting, the blue-banded turtle examined each brother in battle at his vantage point a few feet higher then the battle below. Fighting constantly for close to five hours straight in the dead of night was even causing his own weary muscles to rebel in protest. As a testament to his place as leader and eldest brother, Leonardo showed none of this. He would take this battle to its source and stop this mindless slaughter.

Unknown to all participants, things would not go as planned. The Foot Clan leader, Oroku Saki, better known as the Shredder to all who oppose him, had planned this day from the very beginning. There would be no happy ending this time for his sworn enemies. This day would be their downfall. He silently watched as a helicopter hovering above lowered a rope ladder down next to him.

Leonardo had arrived just in time to see the Shredder grab the rope ladder. Almost without thinking, the blue-banded turtle jumped and grabbed the ladder as well before the helicopter could get out of range. He held on as he tried not to think of the increasing altitude below him. He cringed anyway as at this height in enemy territory with no way to save himself except his own ninja instincts brought back his long since dormant childhood fear of heights.

The Shredder was only feet above him. He stepped down firmly on Leo's hand causing the blue-banded turtle to scream out before grabbing a lower rung of the ladder and wrapping his legs around the bottom. The crack of the bones in Leo's fingers beneath Shredder's foot brings a smile to the metal-clad tyrant.

"I hope you have got a brilliant escape plan, Leonardo, or you are going to end up making a face-plant on the street below." The Shredder taunted. Leo clenched his teeth and didn't respond as he waited for his enemy to remove his foot. A small twisting of Shredder's boot ground the bones together in Leo's hand. "Are you ready to fall to your death or do you wish to watch your failure first? The bomb should go off in a few more minutes."

"Bomb?!" Leo said. Shredder smiled at finally receiving a response from his most hated enemy.

"Yes a bomb. It'll blow the whole roof off of the building your brothers are still fighting my ninjas on." He said, delightfully watching his enemy's eyes widen in shock before turning to watch the building.

At Leo's brief distraction, the Shredder quickly sliced through each side of the rope ladder with his gauntleted fist below where his own hands had been placed. With a quick jerk of the booted foot still crushing Leo's hand, the whole bottom rungs of the ladder fell free. Leo's eyes widened in fear now when he realized he was in freefall. He searched franticly for anything that could help him just as the Saki building exploded, sending a shock wave through the air along with fire and rubble. Leo barely had time to acknowledge this before the force of it caused him to black out and fall, lifeless, down to the Earth below…

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**Author's note:** So um.... what did you guys think? Don't kill me yet without knowing what happens next 'kay? You don't want to start massacering authors before finding out if it was worth the effort right? I know it's short and the second part of the prolouge will be short as well. Believe me it needs to be like this! Please review!


	2. Prolouge part 2

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**Author's note:** This is the second part of the prolouge. The next chapter will actually delve more in the story. I hope you like this part as the one before it. I apologize for the cliffhanger. I know it was mean to leave you there but now you will now more details!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the turtles & company. I do own the plot and this OC Azreal that will appear in this part. Her name means: "Angel of death". Please enjoy!

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…With consciousness brings confusion. Leonardo became aware of the soft surface beneath him. That was the most confusing. Maybe he was in his own bed back at home? That would seem to be the case, but he didn't remember falling asleep. What led to this? He knew something was missing; something he must have forgotten. And then there was this unfamiliar presence nearby watching him. For some reason he wasn't afraid of who this presence belonged to. It didn't feel dangerous; just calming.

He opened his eyes and took in his surrounding. He wasn't at home, that's for sure. Wherever he was, he didn't recognize it. It looked like the inside of a cave. Strange glittering objects hung from the ceiling casting multi-colored hues on the ground below and on the walls. Silky cloths covered the walls in all colors. Some of the colors Leo couldn't name. The light in the room came from some unknown source. It was almost like the air itself was the light. Leonardo let his eyes wander around the room until he finally caught sight of the presence he had sensed earlier.

She was breathtakingly beautiful; almost inhumanly so. She had long golden-brown hair that seemed almost lighter then air with the way the wavy strands moved behind and around her. A bold gold hair piece was wrapped around her forehead with golden chains looped through her hair. Her dress was a blindingly white toga-like dress with a gold cord tied around her waist. A tie around her neck held it up and it ended just short of her knees. She even had some golden bracelets and she wasn't wearing any shoes. Her skin was almost porcelain pale peach and she seemed to radiate light.

When she saw he was awake, she gracefully walked over to the cot-like bed Leonardo was lying on. It almost looked like she was flying the way she glided over. Leo sat up abruptly at her approach, but she delicately placed her hand on his plastron and pressed down. The pressure was light, but Leo still couldn't resist her touch. He laid back until his head hit the pillow all the while starring at her in wonder. She removed her hand, but the place where she had touched him almost burned with unnatural warmth. He laid his hand over the spot without taking his eyes off her.

"Who are you?" Leonardo asked when he finally found his voice. She placed her finger to her lips in response.

"Calm," She said in an angelic resonating voice. She didn't need to speak louder then a whisper. Each word she spoke seemed to echo off the walls.

"I am calm," Leo said, softly, as he turned onto his side to see her better. "Who are you and where am I?"

"Your questions can not be answered right now," She said, "You are not ready to hear them. Do you remember the past events that led you here?"

"Ah…" Leo tried to remember what happened before he found himself in this strange place. Images flashed through his mind… His brothers fighting…grabbing the rope ladder as the Shredder tried to make a get-away…the bomb…freefalling…the building blowing up with his brothers still on it…falling… He sat up again with his eyes wide. "My brothers! Where are they! Are they alright?!"

"Calm," She said as she gently pushed him back down again. Leo wanted to resist her…or at least he thought he did, but then again something was telling him he wanted to listen to whatever she said; a powerful force that was stronger then his own will.

"Tell me…" Leo mumbled, unable to speak louder. It was almost like a spell had been cast with her words and he couldn't help but calm down at her warm touch. "Where…?"

"This is a nexus world between yours and the next." She said, "Do you understand?"

"Did you bring me here then?" He asked. He was still confused. Nothing made sense here.

"I guess you could say that," She said, sighing, "It is obvious you still don't fully understand. I shall help you understand." She leaned over, entwined her hand in his, and put her face right next to his. Leo could feel her warm breath on his face and his hand felt unnaturally warm. His breath had caught at her approach and he blinked a few times at her closeness, unable to pull away. "You fell. Do you remember?" She asked. It was like she was talking to a child who couldn't understand how he got hurt.

"Ye-yes," He answered. It was hard to speak with her so close to him. Why did she have to be so close?

"…And now you are here," She said, softly, "I did not bring you here. I merely guided you."

"I- I still don't understand," He admitted, gasping softly. It was hard to breath correctly with her so close.

"It is simple Leonardo," She said, "I didn't save you. You fell and now you are here. Let your mind tell you what happened."

"But I-" Leo began before he stopped. He fell…she didn't save him…no one did…she guided him here… "Am I…dead?" She stepped back from him and released his hand then.

"Yes," She said, smiling. Why was she smiling? Isn't dying supposed to be a sad thing?

"What about my brothers?" Leo asked, "Are they…?" He couldn't even finish his question. Just the thought of it…

"Yes," She said. Now she was sad. "All three of them."

"No!" Leo said as he sat up again. "They can't…I'd do anything…They can't be…dead!"

"Calm," She said as she pushed him back down again. "I know you are upset. It is a terrible thing. They were not ready."

"What about Master Splinter…" Leo mumbled, "How will he…? …Without us…"

"I know," She said as she placed a hand on his shoulder, "Sleep Leonardo."

"How can I sleep?" He asked even as his eyes began to close. "I- wait! Who are you anyway? How do you know my name? Are you some kind of angel?"

"Yes Leonardo," She said, "I am. Sleep now. You have a mission to complete."

"What does that even mean?" He asked. It was getting harder to stay awake now. His words had started to slur together. "I don't even know your name yet…"

"Azrael," She answered, "Now sleep and complete your mission."

"Wha…" He tried to ask, but he never finished. It wasn't long before he was sound asleep…

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**Author's note:** I hope you liked it. I really have to go now 0.0. I'll try to update soon but this gets a little harder here on out. I haven't even started writing it yet! Please leave a nice review. I hope the plot's a little original (I saw another fic similar but this fic will not go the same way...promise!).


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